The National Association of Nigerian Students has asked the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to carry out random laboratory tests on drugs, food, drinks, and packaged water sold around campuses amid concerns about possible health risks.
The association also called for stronger surveillance of markets and shops around universities and student residential areas, as well as public alerts and product recalls where unsafe items are identified.
NANS made the demands in an open letter to NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, signed by its Director of Health, Augustine Onovughegor, on Friday, October 16, 2026.
The students’ body said reports from campus health centres, teaching hospitals and student communities had raised concerns about the safety of products consumed by young Nigerians.
It listed kidney and liver complications, seizure disorders, gastrointestinal infections, foodborne illnesses and suspected chemical poisoning among the health problems reported in young people. It said some cases could be linked to exposure to substandard or falsified medicines, contaminated food, unregulated additives and toxic substances, although the claims were not supported with specific case data in the letter.
NANS criticised what it described as an inadequate visible response from the regulator, arguing that resource constraints should not prevent urgent action where public health could be at risk.
“When the regulator is absent, the market becomes a laboratory of harm, and our students become the experimental subjects,” the letter stated.
The association outlined six areas for action, including risk-based inspections around campuses, random product testing, public warnings, recalls and prosecution of manufacturers or distributors found to have supplied substandard or falsified products.
It also urged NAFDAC to work with its health directorate and campus clinics to improve the reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions and foodborne illnesses.
Other demands included a publicly accessible database of registered products, improved batch-verification systems, consumer education materials and sustained campus campaigns to help students identify fake medicines and unsafe food products.
NANS said protecting students required coordinated action by regulatory agencies and health institutions, adding, “The blood of Nigerian students is not a statistic. Protect our market. Protect our food. Protect our drugs. Protect our future.”
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